Game indicator



Oct. 30, 1928. v 1,689,865

H. F. DAVIS ET AL GAME INDICATOR Filed Jan. 28, 1927 A TTORNEY;

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES HENRY manners DAVIS AND JAMES.

DONALD REID, OF HAWAII.

HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF GAME mmcAtron' I Application filed January as, 1927. Serial No. 164,246.

This invention relates to indicating devices and more specifically to indicators adapted for use at football games.

As is commonly known, in playing the game of football of the present day, the team carrying the ball is allotted four plays in which to advance the ball tenyards. The

' playing field is marked with transversely exanother ten It is the duty of the referee to keep count this application' Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken later tending lines spaced at ten yard intervals. The termination of each play is called a down, and linesmen are utilized for the purpose of more or less accurately determining and indicating the yardage gained on each playor downy If the necessary total of ten yards is not gained in the four downs the ball passes to the opposing team. If the ten yards is gained however, the teamcarrying the ball retains possession thereof, and 1s allowed four more downs in which to gain yards. J

of the number of downs, whilethe linesmen are measuring the aggregate yardage and,

during very exciting games, disputes often arise as to the number of the down just played, the umpire, the referee and the linesmen deciding the pointbetween them, thereby materially delaying the game. 7

Many thousands of spectators customarily view the football games of the present day, and a very large majority of them are vitally interested in the number of the, downlast played or to be played. After each down the linesmen place a staff along the edge of the field in line with the position of the ball,'and the spectators are thereby advised as tothe necessary yardage to be made Without sacrifice of the ball, but have no means of being positively informed as to the numberofthe down.

The object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby to'indicate to the ofiicials of the game, and to the spectators in all parts of the field, the number lofthe down last played or to be played. 4

Other objects of the invention will be made apparent in thefollowing specifications when taken in connection with the accompanying part thereof.

drawings forming a v 'In said drawings Fig. '1 isa perspective view of'the indieating device forming'the subject matter of ally threugh the de v'in.

Fig. 3 is a side plan view, with one side of the casing and the proximate indicating cylinder-removed, and, i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a guard used to cover a portion of the gear-teeth carried by the indicating cylinders. Now referring specifically to the drawings, in. which like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe severalviews, A is a housing, preferably of. rectangular formation and formed of sheet metal,and B, C, D and E are tubular cylinders axially rotatable within the housing A, it being noted that each cylinder is mounted on a shaft extend; ing therethrough, the shafts being indicated by b, 0, d and 6. Each of the'shafts preferably extends through bearing platesl and 2 provided with a track for anti-friction vrollers, as best shown in Fig. 3, nuts 3 and 4 being provided at the protruding ends of the shafts, as illustrated. Each of the cylinders 13,0," D and E :is

provided on itsrlowerrsurface with a spur gear 5, preferablycut'from a hard fiber disk,

thete'eth 6 of thegears 5 extending laterally beyond the body of the'cylinder and intermeshing with, the teeth on the gear 5 of the adjacent cylinders, whereby rotation of one cylinder will cause an oppositely directed rotation of the adjacent cylinder, as'will be understood.

Each side face of the casing A is provided with an opening or cut-away portion 7, about 5% inches wide, through which the rounded wall of the cylindersmay project, as illustrated, and each cylinder sequentially carries on its quarter faces, the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. It is to beunderstood however that, if cylinders B and D are rotating in one direction, the cylinders C and E are rotating in the opposite direction, and consequently,

since itis desired that the 'samenumbers 4, while on the eylindersC and E will run reversely, or from 4' to '1. u 1 1 As here shown, cylinder B is the master cylinder,the shaft bythereof being fixed to the gear 5, and extending. downwardly through the floor of the housing A, and terminating in an offset portion8, carrying an operating handle 9. Thehousing A is centrally provided on its bottom surface with a staff 19 carrying a pointed. metallic lowen no a end 11,adapted for insertion into the ground.

- The "staff 10 is of a length such that, when the lower end 11 rests upon or in the ground, the housing A isabove' the head ofthe ordinary linesman Who carries the device. 12 extends laterally from the staff 10, the

outer end of said bracket forming a: bearing for the shaft 1) of the cylinder Directly above the outer end of the bracket 12'and'su'pported thereby, isa smaller indicator 13 fixed upo the s a t 1- he n icat 13 is p erably of cylindrical configuration and carries on its outer, surface the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 arranged inthe order ofthe numerals carried by the master cylinder B. Since the indicator 13 is rotatable with the shaft 6,

which, in turn rotates'yyith the cylinder B, it

fe lows th t, W h'th numb rs r ng as above set forth, When-the number 2, for instance, is exposed through the opening 7 on the cylinder B, thesame number will be facin in the sarnev d irection on the indicator 13.

n operation, the linesrnan carries the de v ce a eng h idemers n t play fie and in line with the point Where the ball is at rest after a play or down, grasping the staff 10' ju th lewth b iaek t 2,- Af erea 1p y, h

Wh l the and 1' is a res e the s h m n p llate t e handl 9. o ot e e ft b one quarter revolution. glance at the small indicator 13 directly in front of him, advises him as to which numeral on the cylinder B is exposed through the opening 7 the same Imm rsion a l th o her cy in r being m lanly exposed, but facing indifferent directions, If the exposed numeral on the cylinder B is 2, the spectators and officials are ap- V prised of the fact that the next play will be the t e. shaft b is rotated, andlthat thesame numetal is exposedon all four cylinders at the time, all facing .in' different directions, andone at leastbeing visible-from any part Qf-t'heg-field or seats. it is ,to be noted that,

since the cylinders actually project through openings t7,;1the numerals vare visible at more, points inthefieldithan would beithe case if theinumbers wereiflush with-the; face-of the housing A. ".llhejlinesman isbelow the housing A, and depends foraccuracyuponran inspection of the small indicator 1.3. .7

g Inorder-to positively assurelthat theexpose d numbers, carriedby cylinders 13, C,;D

and rE are. accurately positioned in the, center ,of the; openings v7,,an automatic. stop device isprovided for the cylinder B. Such. device comprises; a circular, fiber disk 14,,s'ecured to the top o th hou ing A, rrounding d fixed to the shaft 6, and concentric with the A bracket cylinder 13. In each quadrant ofthedisk 14,

1s provided a rounded depression or socket 15. A small friction detent 1G, controlled by a springlT, is mounted adj acentthe innertop periphery of the cylinder B, the detent16 normally extending above the top edge of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 3 in line with the sockets 15. The sockets 1 5 are so placed in de B is ee ure y e te ed in thep n the detentlii will enter the socket 15, anjdde; tachably lock the cylinder in that'position.

the disk 14 that, when a numeral on the cylin- Further rotation of theshaft b'ivill depress the eak spring hoivever andpermit the socket 1 5 to ride over the. end ofthedetentlfi under rotation of the disk, and into janpther cket 1.5, as wi he re eed- A guard member 18 is fix d to the lower a ortion of each side of the housing A, directly elow the opening7,the function of'th-islmem- V be? ng t house the expos d gea ing nt' e cylinders 13, C, D and'E." I V i From the foregoing itwill beobvious that We haveprovided an indicating device which t n y di ys; al part ,e he playing field and to the's'pectators, an indication of the number of the next dowm'but" which simultaneously informs the operator as t9; the

position of the cylinders in the housing The numerals on the cylinders 13, C','Dand are very large, and preferably bold-face White on a black back-ground so, as to be y e'ry clearly visible. 7

Various modifications of the structure l rer 1n described may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but our lnvent on covers all em the appended clailns.

We claim =1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a casing having a plurality o f openings all facing indifferent d,irect ions,.a cylinder axialy rotatable insaid casing ad The cylinders a d h n. may be el structed of light Wood, ,or of light sheet metal.

'bodiments falling fairly withinthe scopeoi jacent each opening, said cylinder being,

parallel, and having their centers spacedflto vdefine a; p olygon, one of said cylinders being mounted on a shaft extending belovv the casing, a handle on said shaft whereby to rotate said cylinder, gearing connecting said cylinder'with allthe ,other cylinders .whereby they will rotate-inunisom'and a series of indicating characters carriedfby each cylinder,substantially as andsfor thepurpose set forth. 7 r '7 ,2. A device ofthe characterdescribed-com- Y prising a casing haying,a plurality,of open ingsall facing in different direct-ionsac-yhinder .exially rotatable .invsaid casing, adjaallel, and having their centers spaced' to define a polygon, one of said cylinders" being mounted on ashaft extending. below theeas r ing, a handle on said shaft whereby to rotate ce lt'BflCh opening, saidcylindersbeingpari said cylinder, gearing connecting said cylgree, a series of indicatingicharacters carried by each cylinder, and a device'on said shaft, 7 outside of said casing, adapted to visually indicate the position of all said cylinders.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a plurality of openings all facing in different directions, a cylinder rotatively mounted in the casing adjacent each opening, said cylinders being parallel, and having their centers spaced to define a polygon, each cylinderbeing provided with a series of designating characters, a gear Wheel carried by an end of each cylin der and in mesh with a similar gear carried by the adjacent cylinder, the gears having the same number of teeth whereby rotation of one cylinder will rotate all the cylinders in unison and to a like degree to display said characters through said openings, a shaft connected to one cylinder and'extending outside of the casing, a separate indicator mounted upon said shaft outside of said casing and rotative therewith, said indicator carrying a series of characters similar to those carried by the cylinders, and means for rotating said shaft. 7 V

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a plurality of openings all facing in different directions, a cyl inder rotatively mounted in the casing adjacent each opening, said cylinders being parallel, and having their centers spaced to define a polygon, each cylinder being provided with ase'ries of designating characters, a gear-wheel'carried by an end of each cylinder and in mesh with a similar gear car ried by the-adjacent cylinder, the gears hav ing the same number of teeth whereby rotation of one. cylinder will rotate all the cylindersin unison and to a like degree to dis play said characters through said openings,

a shaft connected to one cylinder and extending outside of the casing, a separate indicator mounted upon'said shaft outside of said casing and rotative therewith, said indicator carrying a seriesof characters similar to those carried by the cylinders, means for rotating said shaft, and ,means for resiliently locking the cylinder on said operating shaft in any operative position.

5. A portable device of the'character de-- scribed comprising a casing mounted on a in said casing, an opening in the casing adjacent each cylinder for exposing the surface through said opening, an operating handle,

extending below the casing and adapted to staff, a plurality of interconnected cylinders a rotate one of said cylinders, and a bracket secured to said staff and forming a bearing for said handle.

.6. A portable device of the character de-h I face of each cylinder, adapted to be extended through said opening, an operating handle extending below the casing and adapted to rotateone of said cylinders, a bracket secured to said staff and forming a bearing for said handle, and means for resiliently locka ing said cylinders in an operative position.

In testimony whereo we aflix our signatures. a A HENRY FRANCIS DAVIS.

JAMES DONALD REID. 

